National Navigation Award Scheme

The levels of the award

All NNAS courses include advice and information about relevant safety and access issues when walking in the countryside. In addition, an understanding of relevant conservation and environmental issues and awareness of our impacts all form part of each course.

Training and Assessment courses use Harvey Maps of 1:25,000 or 1:40,000 scale, Ordnance Survey maps of 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 scale or orienteering maps of 1:10,000 or 1:15,000 scale.

Bronze NNAS Award – navigation in the countryside using paths tracks and other linear features, basic map interpretation and compass work is included. For full syllabus of the Bronze NNAS Award see below:

Silver NNAS Award – navigation in the countryside using skills acquired at bronze level and adding skills required to navigate to features and places some distance from paths and tracks, accurate compass work is required and an ability to use appropriate navigational techniques to go across country in some cases, eg. choosing an appropriate attack point. For full syllabus of the Silver NNAS Award see below:

Gold NNAS Award – navigation in the countryside using skills of the first two levels, but adding techniques and skills for dealing with complex contour features large and small. The Gold Award is delivered as separate Gold Award Training and Gold Award Assessment courses. For full syllabus of the Gold NNAS Award see below:

NB: None of these awards are to be used as a leadership qualification of any kind.

Progression of participants
Participants may enter the scheme at any Level Bronze, Silver or Gold depending on their experience, though it is anticipated that most will start at the basic Bronze level and progress as far as motivation, hard work and ability can take them.

Bronze NNAS Award – The Learning Outcomes

Navigate using a variety of maps and scales.

Use 4 and 6 figure grid references with worded descriptions to define the position of a map feature and to locate a feature on the ground.

Orientate the map using handrails, obvious point features and major landforms.

Silver NNAS Award – The learning outcomes: (additional to those of the Bronze Award)

Utilise the skills and techniques of the Bronze Award in the context of Silver Award navigation strategies.

Relate small hills, small valleys, prominent re-entrants and prominent spurs to their corresponding map contours. Use prominent hills, ridges, spurs and valleys as a means of navigation in good visibility.

Use landforms and point features to orientate the map and as collecting and catching features.

Use a compass to: Accurately follow a bearing; aim off; check the direction of handrails and other linear features.

Deviate briefly from a compass bearing to avoid obstacles or difficult terrain and accurately regain the original line.

Use back bearings to check route following accuracy.

Measure distance on the ground in varied, open terrain using timing and pacing and make practical allowances for any discrepancies.